The Arctic Rider

Good evening Day four has seen Gordon travelling from Germany to Landskrona in Sweden, which is just north of Malmo and in doing so has crossed two bridges which are 18km long each..I am told they are the longest in Europe but this may be a fact from gordopedia rather than any real thing! lol Gordon has been re-visiting places from our first navy deployment together and he decided to go to the exact spot where we met and to celebrate he had a big mac!! ever the romantic! He also went back to Middelfart..yes it still makes me giggle and passed other nautically related places such as Varborg and Aalborg. Conditions today for Gordon have been very windy whilst riding and he has been rained on today a few times on and off. This means that the power ranger all in one suit has been whipped out a few times today. He also told me on the phone that the wind is so bad that he is camping under a tree and is having to boil his water for his gourmet pasta and pesto meal in the tent! Talking o...

Hello all, I've finally tracked an internet cafe down, 6 countries later, in Middlefart in Denmark. I've done about 150miles since this morning but even though its only 2pm here i'm starting to get tired. My plan is to make it to sweden today as I'm low on danish currency. Big thanks to everyone for their support and donations so far. Its been great. Also a massive to Kirsty for updated the blog every night. Its been more difficult than I thought to get wifi or internet access. Anyway off to Sweden but will do a full update later. Ride Safe, Gordon

Good evening All I have just been speaking to a very tired and weary soul..he has arrived and found a campsite in Neumunster http://www.familien-campingplatz.de/ which is about 59 miles south of Flensburg. When he arrived, he thought that it was closed but luckily and due to some gestures, he managed to contact the owner and even procure a bottle of water to make his pasta with. He rode 386 miles today taking him from Holland to Germany.Although he was supposed to be in Flensburg now he came accroper through the mean streets of Amsterdam and Hamburg where he got really lost! Having the amount of stuff he did on the back also meant that he couldn't filter through which I am sure is a pain for him! He said that the autobahns are mad with people going at all sorts of crazy speeds and that little bluey is coping but has to take a bit of a run up before overtaking. He has seen 2 accidents today and now is on his own completely. His dad left him this morning heading back home to F...

Hello all I have just got off the phone to Gordon and he has been telling me all about day two. It started at 0430 this morning in Dover and he then got the ferry across to Calais and met his dad there, who drives a Harley and they rode together through France and Belgium and then ended up in Hyek ven Hollend which he tells me is near Den Hagg in Holland! He said that conditions have not been ideal today and along with it being windy and raining in Calais when he arrived, they have also paid 1 euro 60 per litre for fuel..thank goodness a bike is economical and there have been some irratic drivers through Rotterdam. Gordon decided it would be a good idea to tell me about how one guy almost took out his bike by deciding that the lane that he was in didnt look as nice as Gordons so just moved without looking..yes..i didnt want to know that either.. As for the future..Gordon's dad, Brian leaves him tomorrow and Gordon embarks on the remainder of the trip alone. I think this is wh...

Good evening, Kirsty here as Gordon is now on his trip..he has safely arrived in Dover with Dale and Uttley in Tow. Bernie kindly drove down to Yorkshire with them too! Thanks to everyone who made it down to a very windy St Mary's lighthouse..it was a great start to an amazing journey. After the last blog, Gordon's bike was back with the garage and the mechanic managed to get the part for his bike on Friday morning and so this was put on the bike by 4pm..phew! Day one seems to have gone well.. the lads have set up camp and are re-fueling with some pizza! The plan is for Gordon to get the ferry from Dover to Calais at 8.15am to meet his dad for one day's riding. Fingers crossed it won't rain for him..today the weather was definately on his side. The only issue so far seems to be that there are some sore and cold bodies in Dover tonight. Nothing that a cup of tea and a good sleep wont heal! Gordon will try and update this blog himself when he can, but when he can...

Hello again, Well lots has happened since I last updated. I've been very busy getting everything organised for the trip and we've now raised £940!! A big thanks to everyone who donated so far and if you haven't yet then please do.. only £60 off the big 1k target. A steady stream of borrowed and purchased items have been making their way to biker base ready for the big leaving day. The bike came back from its service with new brake pads amongst other things. Everything was going well until 1pm today. When, after a run out to North Shields to visit Kirsty for lunch, I got home and felt the revs slow on the bike as I parked up which I thought was odd. I went in to the house to get some lunch before I headed back out to town to get more supplies. However, when I went to start the bike it wouldn't start... and not a usual ‘wouldn't start’, the bike made the most awful 'clunk' sound to which I thought "that’s not good". Engine seizure was the first t...

Hello again Sorry for the lack of updates. I am coming up to my final final exam hand in date and the library has been my home over the last few days. I have managed to fit some biking in recently. I have had my heated gloves and socks fitted thanks to Bernie and I have tested the bike out on a medium length journey. Apart from a few screen realted wind problems, everything seems good.(touch wood) I have booked the bike in for a service so it will be ready for the big trip a week on Saturday. I have also had some more sponsorship and am getting closer to my target of £1000. A kind family who have also been helped by Cerebra have now sponsored me and have also agreed to come to the starting line which will be brill! I'll have an early start on day two as the ferry is now booked and I leave the UK at 8.15am and head across the water to Calais to start the trek. Robbie and I have been in the local paper again which is good. Click on this link to view it - https://docs.google...